“Rules of Basket Ball” museum to get a name; Burt Hall to be razed

Topeka  Kansas University is seeking approval from the Kansas Board of Regents for the name of the proposed addition to Allen Fieldhouse that will house James Naismith's original "Rules of Basket Ball."

At this point, KU is not revealing what name it has picked. The regents will take up the issue on Wednesday.

The approximately 31,000-square-foot addition will be constructed on the northeast corner of Allen Fieldhouse to establish a museum alongside the Booth Family Hall of Athletics.

David Booth, an Austin, Texas-based investor, purchased Naismith's original rules of basketball for $4.3 million three years ago and donated them to KU.

The project is part of a bigger special-events venue with a total budget of $18 million in private donations.

At Wednesday's regents meeting, the board also will consider authorizing KU to raze Burt Hall as part of the expansion of the School of Engineering. Burt Hall was originally constructed as a nuclear reactor facility for teaching and research, but the reactor was shut down in the 1970s, according to Mike Russell, KU's director of Environmental Health and Safety.

The reactor was dismantled, decommissioned and removed, and the building has been used as office space.

The plan is to start demolition of the building this summer, Russell said.

George, let me help you here: Since the dawn of man, competition has heightened men's souls, better this than war. Most games are the vestigial tail of early warfare. Rather Rock Chalk Jayhawk than Cut Their Heads Off.

I played bball for a small town in Western Kansas 35 years ago, and when we stood around the circle waiting for the jump ball, I can remember getting chills, thinking that
I was representing my hometown.

I was on a high school basketball team at about the same time in Central Kansas. Been in that same circle but I never got chills, I was bored to death. I was looking at the clock to see how many minutes more were left so I could take a shower and go home.

I really hope that when they say north east corner, they aren't referring to the area of trees that have been there for years and are a big part of the landscape! The area near where the students line up to get into the game?

Money is just a means of exchange. As long as that exchange creates value for someone, it is valid. If it didn't go to constructing a hall to house the rules, then some construction workers would be out of a job. Who's to say which use of the money is more valid? Look up Rand's d'Anconia character for more.